During 1980 to 1984, 279 deaths occurred among 15,306 births in a regional perinatal unit. Survival to discharge corrected for lethal malformations was 81% or better in infants with a birth weight above 749 gm. Congenital malformations (23.2%), infections (21.3%), asphyxia (19.8%), and hyaline membrane disease (11%) caused most perinatal deaths.